Leigh Day “breached duty” to thousands of Trafigura claimants who did not receive share of £30m settlement
Leading group action law firm Leigh Day has been found guilty of professional negligence after 6,624 of the claimants it represented in the high-profile Trafigura case were not paid their share of the £30m settlement. Leigh Day said it tried its “damnedest” to ensure everyone received their payments.
SRA rebukes paralegal who sent abusive text messages to client
A paralegal who sent abusive text messages to a client has been rebuked by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Ewelina Niemczyk agreed to the sanction after admitting her conduct was unacceptable.
Advice sector to use e-mail to engage “army of City lawyer volunteers”
E-mail could be employed to harness “a whole volunteer army” of City law firm volunteers to the aid of Hackney Law Centre and other advice centres beyond the capital, according to a report on digital solutions that also suggested a series of apps that could help clients navigate the advice system.
Here come the loss adjusters: US giant to launch ABS
Crawford & Company, one of the world’s biggest firms of loss adjusters, has announced that it is setting up an alternative business structure in the UK to offer an end-to-end claims management services. Crawford – which is listed on the New York Stock Exchange – has 27 offices in this country.
ICO investigates after medical records found in skip outside law firm
The Information Commissioner’s Office has launched an investigation, after medical records relating to personal injury claims were found in a skip outside a law firm’s former office in St Helens, Merseyside. Separately, evidence has emerged of bodyshops releasing personal data to third-party law firms and CMCs.
‘Umbrella’ alternative business structures aims to build 1,000-lawyer network
Alternative business structure Lawyers Inc has said it aims to recruit between 800 and 1,000 lawyers over the next five years, having taken over two law firms as it rolls out its groundbreaking model. Director Martyn Caplan said he was talking to a dozen more firms.
ASA upholds complaint against “your solicitor rips you off” advert
The Advertising Standards Authority has upheld a complaint over an advertisement from a website that claims to help clients recover a “huge amount” of their legal costs, which said that “on average, a solicitor overcharges you by 20%”. The offending advert was headed: “Top 5 ways your solicitor rips you off.”
SME law firms see fee income rise but staff and premises costs dragging down profits
Fee income at SME law firms is on the up, but profits are not matching the growth, with staff and premises costs among the causes, new research has found. There was a “dramatic growth in income” at London firms in particular, with “high-value project work… back on the desk” as corporate deals gathered pace.
Social media disaster for law firm snowballs as clients cut ties
The crisis engulfing the law firm that sent tweets ‘boasting’ about its success in defending local authorities in special educational needs and disability tribunals has escalated further today, with three council clients cutting their ties to the firm.
Veyo loss hits £11.4m, accounts reveal
The Law Society’s failed conveyancing portal Veyo recorded a loss of £11.4m in its last financial year, with rival product Free2Convey the cause of its demise, according to newly published annual accounts. Some £6.8m of the loss was put down to research and development expenditure, with a further £743,000 on 10 staff.
